196 TransactioTis. — Zoology. 



Since 1868, and up to the end of 1880 the society has distributed about 

 110,390 trout ova to different provinces in the North and South Islands of 

 New Zealand. For the season of 1880 just past, there were 57,500 thus 

 disposed of. The method of packing these, recently and successfully carried 

 out by Mr. Deans, has been in small deal boxes about 15 inches square by 

 6 inches deep. A good layer of soft damp moss is laid on the bottom, 

 which carries a layer of eggs or ova of the trout, with gauze above and 

 below. On the top of these eggs another layer of wet moss is carefully spread, 

 then another layer of eggs, and so on, the top being well protected by mosSj 

 also the sides of the box. Not more than three layers of eggs are at any 

 time put into one box, as it has been found, or is believed, that too much 

 pressure is injurious and often fatal. A top of deal is then screwed on, 

 having a hole in it, there being one or two also in the bottom. Two or 

 more boxes of ova thus packed are then secured inside of a larger box or 

 case. They rest on sawdust, and the spaces — two to three inches — left 

 clear at the sides are also filled with sawdust, a bag containing the same 

 non-conductor of heat being spread out flat on the top of the ova boxes. 

 Next the lid of the larger box or case is screwed down — which also with the 

 bottom of this box has several holes for the passage of water. Of cold fresh 

 water a couple of pints daily, during the transit of the ova, are poured 

 through the hole in the cover to keep the moss wet and cold. We have 

 found the ova has carried thus for a week or eight days successfully to places 

 as far off as Napier and Auckland. But during this last season ice has been 

 used, a sufficient quantity being packed on top of the ova boxes. The result 

 has been eminently good, not five per cent, of the ova having gone bad. I 

 may add that our system is just a modification of the American plan, and 

 as I think an improvement on it. The Americans use scrim or gauze to 

 separate each layer from the moss, and pack six or seven layers thus with 

 moss between, one on top of the other. This causes too much weight to 

 come on the lower tiers of eggs, and consequently losses are increased. 



Of young trout distributed throughout Otago during the same period, I 

 find from the society's records that 150,000 have been put into 150 streams, 

 rivers, and lakes ; whereof about 40,000 were turned out from January to 

 end of December, 1880. These trout have in the Shag Eiver, "Water of Leith, 

 Fulton's Creek, Lee and Deep Streams, Waiwera, Kuriwao, Teviot, and 

 about Lake Wakatipu and Hayes Lake, increased enormously in numbers, 

 and that in the face of losses caused by such enemies as shags, ducks, eels, 

 large trout, bad floods during spawning time, poaching, and so on. In 

 many other waters they have also mcreased and established themselves, but 

 not to so great an extent as in those above-named. Into the Deep Stream 

 100, and into the Lee 98 young trout were turned in 1869, and no additions 



